Rain Falls on This Once Peaceful Land
by KestrelRaven9
Summary: A lord of a nearby village is found dead. The Furious Five go to investigate, only to find a cryptic message that leave them puzzled. While the Five search deeper and deeper, an unknown foe is advancing his pawns toward the Jade Palace
1. Preface

**_Disclaimer- I do not, I repeat, I do not own Kung Fu Panda. I wish I could though._**

**_This is the preface. I still don't know how to fully use this website. :P_**

"I told you to bring the reports yesterday!" he hissed in frustration. What was the problem with messengers these days? He had specifically requested the alliance from a band of rogue wolves. Apparently they had been working for the stupid white peacock, but disbanded when the Dragon Warrior defeated their master.

"I-I'm sorry, Master," Ming stammered. The duck had heard that the bearers of bad news were executed on the spot. His master sighed, and buried his face in his broad paw.

"Don't make the same mistake again, unless you want your head on my dinner-plate!" The threat echoed across the barren throne room. Ming nodded hastily, shuffling his webbed feet.

"And Ming?"

"Yes, my lord."

"Hire him." Ming gulped loudly, and touched his wing tips together. He wished he could fly back to his home village. Not that he could fly anyway. The lord had made sure of that and clipped the tips of his dull-colored wings.

"But my lord..."

"Yes?" The voice that had captured his family and used their feathers for his pillows sounded irritated.

"You saw...what he did...to your sister's-" Ming hesitated. Master did not like his older sibling In fact, he hated his past and refused to talk about it.

"She is _not_ my sister!" The commanding figure stood up suddenly, a flame of contempt crackling in his blue eyes. "Not after what they did to my father!" He sighed deeply and flopped back into his seat. Weariness was obvious on his master's face. Ming noticed that he said 'my father', not 'our father'.

"I know what he did. I want him to do the exactly the same..."

Ming listened closely.

"To the Jade Palace."


	2. A Shocking Letter

_**Disclaimer- Kung Fu Panda does not belong to me. If it did, then why am I posting a disclaimer?**_

"You can do it Po!" Monkey's cheering voice floated over to the row of tables where he sat. Po didn't really pay attention, he was to busy stuffing himself with _jiaozi_, or dumplings, aiming to win the eating competition for Chinese New Year. Shifu had disapproved of abandoning training for the festival, but gave in to Monkey's and Po's pleading.

"And...time's up!" the proud voice of Mantis called out. Po glanced at his competitors. Several looked like they weren't even alive and the bunny next to him groaned. Mantis came by, holding a paper, recording scores.

Suddenly, Tigress arrived and dragged Po away by the arm. Mantis sighed, dropped the paper, and hopped on Monkey's shoulder to follow.

"Hey!" Po exclaimed, irritated. "I was just about win the dumpling eating contest!"

"Well," Tigress pushed through a large crowd, "that can wait. There has been a murder." Po gasped and Mantis looked shocked. Monkey said nothing, but his eyes gave away the abrupt fear in his mind.

"I'm coming," Po glanced at a red tent, a large sign in front, "right after this noodle eating contest." The panda moved toward the tent, but Tigress grabbed his arm even harder and kept on walking. Monkey stifled a laugh, the edges of a grin poking out from under his hand. After a while of being dragged over wet cobblestone, Po gave in and followed his comrades toward a secluded village not far from the Valley of Peace.

A massive pagoda-looking structure stood before them. The tiles were polished to a bright sheen and there was intricately carved dragons on the arched doorway. Red lanterns with golden silk tassels hung from the rooftops. All around the porch there was red columns and porcelain pots with bonsai trees inhabiting them.

"Wow, this guy must have a lot of money." Mantis pointed out. Tigress chose to ignore him.

"This is Lord Chen's house. Viper and Crane are already here." Tigress explained. As if on cue, a snake and a white bird approached them.

"This is so terrible!" Viper wailed. "A murder on Chinese New Year!" Crane hushed her and motioned to the curious villagers looking at them.

"Let's go inside." Tigress suggested. "Maybe it was an accident." It was clear that Tigress was doing her best to be optimistic and not cause an epidemic of panic throughout the village. Crane nodded and the Furious Five entered Lord Chen's house.

They found the antelope lord in his office, slouched in a chair. They quickly set to work, searching for any signs of blood or pawprints. Crane was sent upstairs to the higher levels, along with Mantis and Viper. Monkey and Po were to search outside and the neighboring houses while Tigress surveyed the bottom floor.

Monkey and Po returned first, declaring that the village and its inhabitants had no clues to offer.

"Yeah, they all seem to hate him." Po recalled.

Viper, Crane, and Mantis returned, twenty minutes later with the same response.

"Nothing." Viper reported flatly. "All of them are just extra rooms. They were hardly ever used at all."

"Yeah, everything was covered in dust." Mantis agreed. Tigress sighed, obviously disappointed by the rest of the Furious Five. She felt like that she was the one responsible for their failures and was the only one who knew the depth of the situation. The tiger sifted through the last of Lord Chen's documents. Most of the stuff was bills and various letters. She spotted an open scroll, just recently opened.

It was addressed to Lord Chen, but with no return address or name. She handed it to Crane, who looked equally as baffled. Po snatched it and unrolled it. The scroll said:

'Jade Palace, I send my regards.'

Po nearly screamed and dropped the scroll. Viper slowly approached it.

"He knew, " Viper paled. "The assassin knew we would come." Po reached to pick it up again, but Crane swatted his paw away.

"Hey! I was just going to pick it up!" Po snapped angrily.

"Exactly, and you would have died a few hours later." Crane retorted, a bit coldly. "That ink isn't normal ink."

"He's right. That ink has a bluish tint to it." Tigress observed closely. "It's poison ink."

"But why?" Monkey asked curiously. "Why would someone kill Lord Chen, let alone with poison ink?" No one answered him, so Monkey fell silent. The shock and cruelty of this murder had finally started to affect them. Tigress carefully picked the scroll up, making sure her paws wouldn't touch the ink. She stared at is very closely for several minutes. Then she put it back down and sighed.

"What is it, Tigress?" Mantis inquired. Tigress looked a bit depressed and her gaze shifted away. After a few awkwardly quiet moments, she spoke.

"I don't know what's worse..." Tigress paused. "The poison ink...or the fact I know who did this."


	3. The Red Dragon

_** Disclaimer- I do not own Kung Fu Panda. Why do I keep having to tell you this? **_

"He's a skilled assassin that comes from a secluded clan from central Asia." Tigress explained, then added. "He's basically foreign." They were eating at the Red Dragon restaurant, hoping to meet with the owner who knew about this fabled murderer. Master Han was a great friend of Shifu's. He let the Furious Five take a private room in the back of the restaurant. A waiter came, holding a steaming teapot.

"More tea?" Crane and Tigress nodded. The bunny padded up toward them and filled their painted porcelain cups with an aromatic brew. Tigress had refused to eat any noodles or dumplings, and satisfied herself with a light soup and some salad.

"May we see Master Han?" Po asked gently. The bunny nodded and bounded away. A cat strummed his fingers on a _zhen_, a stringed instrument with a propped up board with the strings lain across it. A few moments later, a grey dog entered their room. He closed the door, the _zhen _faintly heard.

"Master Han." Tigress stood up and bowed. Crane, Monkey, Mantis, and Viper followed the exact same moments. It took Po a while to figure out that Master Han was of high importance and performed a sloppy bow. They sat back down again, after Tigress shot a warning glance at Po.

"There is no time for formalities if my predictions about your criminal are correct." Master Han narrowed his eyes. "I used to manage the prison before they put Commander Vachir in my place." Po remembered the cocky Javan rhinoceros who set Tai Lung free by taunting the Jade Palace's messenger.

"What happened?" Mantis asked. Master Han smiled. The weary dog waved a wooden crutch in the air.

"The last mark he left on me. Broke my left leg and sliced his way through roughly two thousand armed rhinos. If he truly is up to something, you must be very cautious. He is always one step ahead of his opponents." Master Han sighed. "Look at me. A great kung fu master reduced to a cripple."

"Your not crippled...just...disabled. Like Po with the acupuncture." Viper suggested.

"Please don't mention the acupuncture." Po groaned. "Its just painful even thinking about it."

Master Han laughed. He suddenly turned serious. "Do you remember when I let you have a secret tour of the prison?"

"Yeah, you didn't show us Tai Lung, and there was that creepy cat who kept staring at us." Mantis recalled.

"That's him." Master Han confessed. "He escaped the day after."

"Really?" Monkey's eyes grew wide. "I wish I could do that!" Tigress growled at him, hinting Monkey to keep silent.

"Does Shifu know about this?" Han inquired.

"No. He just knows that we chasing some petty criminal. Shifu doesn't know about the murder." Crane shrugged. "I told him that just before calligraphy."

"Good. Shifu would probably scold all of us, but him not knowing is for the better. He would force you to stay, and go alone." Han's voice darkened.

"What's so bad about that? Shifu is one of the greatest martial arts warriors of China." Mantis asked, perplexed at why this would be a problem.

"The assassin works alone, but he is usually hired by someone else. And Shifu is not thorough in his knowledge of foreign battle skills. He would be to slow and end up getting killed." The former master said flatly. The Furious Five and the Dragon Warrior silently agreed. There were times where even Shifu's reflexes would fall short. Such as the instance with Tai Lung.

"We will be careful. Shifu's training was not for nothing. If there's anyone prepared, it us." Tigress assured Master Hans. The grey dog didn't look so assured. Doubt was very obvious on his face. He knew something that they didn't.

"Look, we must find this criminal. We can't be afraid. We were all taught to sacrifice our lives for the safety of China." Crane declared firmly. "We will stop him, no matter what." Po nodded in agreement and Monkey clapped his hands.

Master Han sighed. "I wish I could stop you, but you're right. All Masters were taught selflessness and honor." They knew they had won the argument and stood up to leave. Monkey held open the door and closed the door behind him. Viper smiled in thanks and slithered out the door. Po walked awkwardly, trying to hide dumplings in his clothes. The Furious Five left the restaurant and headed back to the Jade Palace. 

Han returned back to the kitchen. The cat was packing up his bags and nearly all the customers were gone. The dog frowned. He didn't remember hiring anyone this evening. He suspected that maybe one of his employees had done it. He spotted a bamboo staff inside the cat's bag. Very odd for someone playing the _zhen_. Han pushed it off, choosing to ignore it. When he had disappeared, the cat smirked. There was a dangerous glint in those oval green eyes as he strapped on a staff, pulled on a mask and dashed out the door.


	4. An Archive of Scrolls

_** Disclaimer- I do not own Kung Fu Panda. Okay? Got It? Good.**_

"Where were you?" Shifu questioned angrily when the Furious Five and the Dragon Warrior finally arrived at the entrance of the Jade Palace. "I let you skip training during the festival and you skip the evening too?"

"I am very sorry, Shifu," Tigress apologized. "We were at the Red Dragon, conversing with Master Han."

Shifu's expression lightened at the name of his old friend. "Why didn't you tell me? Master Han is a very good friend of mine. I would have come myself."

Their red panda mentor motioned them inside, holding the arched doors open. He closed the door and Tigress approached him.

"Do we still have the scrolls in the archive about central Asia?" she asked politely.

"Eh?" Shifu glanced up. He was steadying a wobbling painted vase that Monkey had almost knocked over. "Oh yes, they're down in floor three and section six. Here, I'll show you." Much to Tigress' protests, he heaved open the locked double doors that protected the secret archive and held a lantern to the swirling darkness. Shifu padded down three flights of stairs to the last floor of scrolls. Tigress helped by lighting some of the torches that hung around the archive.

Most of the work was done by Shifu, the deceased Oogway, and other kung fu masters. Crane had added some of his practiced calligraphy and maps to the library of paper scrolls. Shifu ran his tiny paws across the rolled up paper and pulled some scrolls out of their designated shelves. He handed them to Tigress and soon, she had a mound of scrolls in her arms. Shifu said a quiet "Good night" and left Tigress to her midnight reading.

She threw the scrolls open, clouds of dust dispersing into the air. She found maps of central Asia and carefully put them away. She found an interesting scroll about a rebellion in central Asia, but it wasn't very helpful. Tigress decided to look elsewhere and started scanning information about Master Han and his time guarding the prison. She found some interesting facts about the prison. A scroll described an escape by a very dangerous criminal:

_'Master Han is a retired prison guard that learned the skill unique to the Jade Palace: kung fu. While the prison was under Han's watchful eyes, there were no escapes except for one. An assassin had been placed into a third-level cell, declaring that the captive was almost as threatening to the Valley of Peace as the infamous snow leopard, Tai Lung. The dutiful Furious Five and the renowned Dragon Warrior visited the third level, remembering the dreadful day when Tai Lung wrecked havoc upon their valley. A day after they had left, with unknown means, the mysterious assassin broke free, showing that steel bars would not hold him back. Master Han suffered, not only from a broken leg, but from a loss of about two thousand rhino guards that the assassin massacred through to get free. Master Han had to resign due to his injury and later became a friend of Shifu and performer of martial arts.'_

Tigress found this boring, for Master Han had already told her that himself. The only new fact was that the assassin was considered a third-level criminal, the highest one could possibly earn. She found that unnerving, a third-degree master assassin loose in the Valley of Peace. Tigress quickly turned around, she though she saw a figure pass by. The single torch flickered uneasily. Her searching golden eyes surveyed her surroundings. Her instinct hadn't left her and Tigress stayed wary. She turned back to the scroll, peeking out of the corner of her eye once and a while. Finding herself going in circles, she sighed and returned the scrolls to their proper places. She extinguished the flame, picked up the lantern, and retired to her room. She pushed open the fragile wooden door and promptly fell asleep.

* * *

Tigress yawned and glanced outside. Her room had a back porch that over-viewed the training arena outside. The sun was just shining over the horizon, rays of golden light sparkling. There was a sharp knock on her door. She walked over and let the door open. It was Viper. The green tree snake looked nervous, even scared.

"Shifu wants us. All of us. And it's not training. That's all he told me. Except to get you." Viper looked at the floor. She was always sensitive to others, but Tigress couldn't figure out why Shifu wanted them so early in the morning to do something other than training. She suspected an announcement and followed Viper without any second thoughts.

Shifu paced around the training arena, looking very upset. Tigress looked at her fellow comrades and counted four. Mantis had probably gone to get Po. Soon enough, Mantis arrived with a yawning Po. The panda rubbed his sleepy eyes and looked confused at their solemn faces. Shifu stopped pacing around and stood still.

"What did you do yesterday at the Red Dragon?" He glared at all of them.

"We talked to Master H-" Crane repeated.

"I know," Shifu interrupted. Tigress looked shocked. It wasn't like Shifu to interrupt Crane, maybe Monkey or Po, but never Crane. "What did you talk about?" Crane was about to answer again, but Tigress spoke first.

"That is between us and Master Han. You must respect our privacy." Tigress said boldly.

"Hmm, so you won't tell me. Fine, I'll tell you what I know. Master Han...is dead."


	5. In the Night

_** Disclaimer- I do not own Kung Fu Panda. Dumplings are yummy. **_

_**Author's Note- I'm sorry I have been very inactive for a while. Posting will slow down due to schoolwork, testing, etc. **_

"Now, I will repeat my question: what did you discuss with Master Han?" Shifu glared accusingly at Tigress. Crane shifted his gaze to the floor; all of them were restless, desperate to leave this situation, and Shifu, alone.

"I will repeat my answer." Tigress snarled defiantly. "That is between us and Master Han." Tigress knew she was pushing her limits. Shifu could very well throw her out of the Jade Palace, even banish her from the Valley of Peace. But her desire for justice got the best of her and she didn't give in.

"I know that the criminal you're dealing with isn't as easy as you told me. You, all of you, lied to me. Master Han died because of it." Viper looked guilty and felt heart-broken. Monkey felt confused, torn between siding with Shifu or aiding Tigress.

"I will go," Shifu continued. "You six are obviously too foolish to deal with the criminal. You are not experienced enough. I will go, alone." He turned to leave to the armory, to get his staff that he inherited from Oogway. Tai Lung had broken it, but Shifu had it repaired with some of the wood from a peach tree.

"No," Tigress grabbed Shifu's shoulder. Her mentor turned to flip her over, but she let go and pushed Shifu over. It was a cowardly move, but Tigress could not let Shifu leave by himself. "Master Han warned us about this. He knows you can't deal with the convict. You don't know the kung fu of the middle east. The criminal would kill you, and leave the Jade Palace, leave us, without a master." She didn't care how morbid this foretelling was, she had to make Master Shifu understand. Shifu was blind to his own weakness, and refused to admit that someone could even get near to defeating him.

"Tigress," Shifu staggered to his feet and didn't face one of his greatest students. "I will go, and you will stay. That is an order. And follow it." He walked off, clearly humiliated that his student pointed out a flaw that he had failed to notice. Tigress did not attempt to go after him. It was hopeless, she could not disobey her master.

"Let's go Tigress. I guess training is canceled today." Po tried to make a joke, but failed. The mood had killed off any remaining optimism. The panda sighed and headed with the the others back to the main building. Tigress, on the other hand, stay put where she was and stared at the main gate, deep in thought. They left her where she stood, knowingly leaving her to herself. She was known to lash out at anyone when she was upset.

_I have to stop the criminal_, she thought, _but I must not defy Shifu another time. He would be furious._ Tigress bent down and crossed her legs. She sighed, calming her mind. She meditated often, regulating her thoughts and emotions. _Shifu barely survived Tai Lung, the student he knew best. _Part of her wanted to protest and say _she _was the pupil Shifu knew best, but her heart knew that Tai Lung was the apprentice Master Shifu cherished the most. _The loyalty to the Valley of Peace must override the loyalty to Shifu if the innocent citizens are in danger, right? _She hoped she would make the right desicion because millions could be murdered in cold blood due to a single mistake. _Oh, Oogway, what would you do? _Tigress did not expect an answer in reply, and an image formed in her mind. She remembered Oogway warning Shifu that Tai Lung would escape no matter what. Master Shifu didn't listen to Oogway and sent the messenger over whose, ironically, feather would open Tai Lung's cell. When Shifu left, Oogway told them that everyone is wrong at one point, and if they must, they could disobey the master of the Jade Palace. Back then, Tigress had scoffed behind the turtle's back, pondering why anyone should disobey the master of the Jade Palace. But now, she realized that Oogway's words sparked something inside her. A flame of rebellion roared inside of her, calling for action and the right for justice. Suddenly, her amber eyes snapped open, a shiny glint sparkling in them.

Tigress jumped up and slammed the doors open. She dashed down the corridors, calling everyone to the main training area. Mantis poked out his small head, wondering if Tigress had fallen to a mental disease.

They sat on the steps to the main training arena, slurping Po's noodle soup. Tigress still had a salad, but was too busy talking to eat.

"We have to leave tonight. I spotted Shifu practicing with his staff when I came to get you guys, and no offense, but I think we could do better."

"What?!" Viper exclaimed. "Master Shifu has ordered us to stay, we can't just leave without permission!"

"Yeah, he looked pretty angry." Monkey agreed. "In plus, it would be nice to take a few days off. I mean, protecting the valley is hard work." Crane rolled his eyes, but his attitude revealed that he ,too, agreed.

"So, you would rather obey Shifu than save the valley from a possible massacre? Great." Tigress asked sarcastically. Mantis clicked his pincers uneasily. Viper suddenly became interested in the floating noodle in her soup. Po sat there and glanced between his fellow warriors. Crane shifted, unnerved by Tigress' sudden out burst.

"Well?" she asked again. "Are we going to fulfill our duty to the Valley of Peace?" Crane slowly nodded and stood up.

"Tigress is right. Oogway once told us there would be a time where we would face our loyalty to our master, or the loyalty to the valley." Crane declared. The white bird had a way with words and one by one, they sided with the valley.

They waited until the darkness took over the sky and it became night. Viper had predicted Shifu would leave in the morning, rather than the evening. When the lamps in the hallways were extinguished and Shifu retired to his bedroom, they quietly opened their doors and hurried to the armory. It was chilly outside, it was still winter. Tigress pulled on some gloves and took a look at a javelin, a type of spear, that was hanging from one of the racks on the wall.

"Wow," Po breathed. "I've never been in here before." The panda put on a jacket and handed Monkey his staff. Viper stretched her lithe body, preparing herself for battle. Crane slipped a leather satchel over his head, the bag carrying important documents that would allow them to pass through security virtually anywhere. Tigress pushed open the great red door and with one final glance at their home, they left the Jade Palace.


	6. A Wicked Smile

_** Disclaimer- I do not own Kung Fu Panda. Though Jack Black voicing a fat panda is pretty funny. **_

_**Author's Note- Finally! My inactivity won't be as long as a week, but I might not post for a couple of days.**_

Shifu's candle in his window had been extinguished so they left the Jade Palace in ease. Crane took flight and followed Tigress who jumped from side-to-side down the lengthy staircase. Mantis rode Monkey who ran beside Viper, who slithered down the stone. Po, on the other hand, had tripped and now tumbled down the stairs.

"Wooooaaahhhh!" Po literally bounced the whole way down. His face kept hitting the polished rock and Po felt like his nose was broken. Monkey snickered behind his hand and pointed to Po. Tigress rolled her eyes, apparently too 'advanced for immaturity'.

The feline skidded to a halt and let out a little sigh. Crane, then Monkey and Mantis, and finally Viper arrived at the bottom of the stairs. Po rolled down, picking up speed, until Tigress stopped him with her foot. She didn't say anything but smiled wryly. She continued toward the city, lanterns leading the way.

They arrived at the Red Dragon restaurant and shoved their way through a massive, murmuring crowd. Heads turned to stare at the six in awe. Po liked being the Dragon Warrior and all that, but sometimes the attention he received was a little too much.

"Coming through, watch out please, coming through..." Tigress warned the civilians. Fence posts prevented the crowd from bursting into Master Han's business. A couple of antelope dressed in blue kept pushing the crowd away. They had small metal whistles and greeted them.

"The Furious Five! Dragon Warrior! It is an honor to have you here! We weren't expecting you, did Master Shifu send you? I'm Officer Yan." Officer Yan spoke a bit hurriedly and shook their hands. They stole glances at each other when Officer Yan mentioned Shifu. Luckily, Crane still had the papers and presented them to the talkative officer.

"Okay, great! Hey, Shou! I'm taking them inside!" Officer Yan pointed to them. Another antelope, presumably Shou, nodded to Yan and he showed them inside.

The outside of the Red Dragon looked completely normal, but the inside was a complete mess. Tables and chairs strewn everywhere and there was scuff marks on the once-flawless walls. Monkey stopped to observe a large kitchen knife deeply embedded in the wooden wall. Po gave a little gasp as he spotted mysterious red streak marks on the ceiling.

"Our healers have found out that first, Master Han was hit on the skull, fracturing it, then stabbed, straight through the heart. He hasn't been dead for very long. His killer could still be around. " Officer Yan was standing in front of a mangled figure. Tigress knelt down and stared at the person she had just gotten to know the day before. Her forensics training came back to her and she called the others to help her search. The scratch marks on the walls and ceiling indicated that Master Han had put up a fight. Viper found the master's crutch, sliced in half, lying in a corner. Though she excelled in her skill of detective work, Tigress couldn't extract much from the crime scene. Unfortunately, Officer Yan had told them that there had been no witnesses and the murder had been done in the evening.

"This killer is very intelligent, I can barely get any worthy evidence from this. Let's leave." Tigress sighed. The frustration was obvious in her monotone voice. Po was first out of the doors, happy to be getting away from the dead body. They pushed through the crowd again and walked through the fairly empty streets. When they were alone, Crane pulled out something from his satchel.

"I found this inside Master Han's teacup." Crane pulled out what seemed like a normal leaf. It was long and green and the edges were a bit uneven.

"What's _that_?" Mantis asked.

"It's poisonous. When consumed it causes hallucinations and blurry vision. Too much and you're dead. The killer must have poisoned him and then fought Master Han when he was weakened." Crane said with distaste. Viper's face blanched at the inhumane prediction.

"What a coward!" Tigress snarled.

"What is it?! Tell me!" Mantis asked again.

"_Atropa belladonna_, part of the _Solanaceae_ family." Crane replied, as if this was common knowledge.

"That tells me nothing! What is it?!" Mantis was almost screaming.

Tigress let out a low growl. "Deadly nightshade. And Crane, put that back in your pouch." Crane obliged and carefully tucked the dangerous leaf into his bag. Viper gave the nightshade a wary glance and scooted away from Crane.

"Hey, um, Tigress?" Po asked suddenly.

"Yeah?" Tigress replied.

"Where the heck are we?" Tigress glanced at her surroundings. She didn't recognize where she was. It made her uneasy, not knowing stuff.

"We might have taken a wrong turn. I can get on the rooftops to see where we are." Monkey offered.

"No, we-" Tigress stopped. Her eyes followed a swift figure turn a corner. "There!" The others didn't need to be told this was the murderer. He obviously knew he was being followed and picked up his pace. Po was surprised how slim the assassin was. The figure had some kind of staff strapped to his back and he kept glancing back at them.

"Split up! We have the advantage here!" Tigress smiled, showing rows of sharp teeth. "He won't get away now!" The assassin veered to the right and jumped on to the curved, tiled roofs. Crane tried to push him off, but he had to give the killer's weapon a wide berth. The figure now sped across rooftops, getting farther and farther away. Viper noticed he was heading toward the towering pagoda in the center of the city.

"He's headed toward the pagoda!" she exclaimed. Tigress gave her a quick nod and shifted her position. They were catching up to the figure and they watched him start to scale the pagoda with amazing coordination and agility. He glanced down at them and narrowed his eyes. They had surrounded the pagoda; they would would chase him to the top and then he would have nowhere to go. He dashed up the side, the Furious Five and the Dragon Warrior close behind. The killer was nearing the top when he pulled out something black and round. Crane's eyes widened as he recognized the device.

"Bomb!" His shrill cry echoed across the rooftops. His friends were way too close and his warning was too late. The figure aimed and threw the explosive at a lantern hanging on the pagoda. There was a deafening explosion as Crane felt his wingtips being seared and five familiar shapes go hurdling through the cold air. The tower had caught fire and was starting to fall. The assassin clung on and Tigress caught his eye. She could of sworn he had smiled. The full moon shone behind him, giving him an eerie look. And with a sudden movement, the assassin, the person who Tigress had been so close to catching, disappeared.


	7. Revealed in the Darkness

_ D**isclaimer- I do not own Kung Fu Panda whatsoever! If you want to listen to the inspiration for this story, I will put the link in my profile.**_

_**Author's Note- Sorry for short chapter, will post longer one soon. **_

"You have completed my request." The tiger lord looked impressed. "I thought evading the Furious Five along with the Dragon Warrior was a too difficult challenge for you."

"You underestimate me." The assassin scoffed. "They are amateurs, unskilled in a real game of life and death."

"And you are?" The employer cocked his head. The mysterious cat merely smiled and his emerald eyes sparkled with secrecy.

"Well, since you have accomplished the task, here's your reward- 15,000 yuan." He picked up a heavy bag next to his throne and tossed it. Han's killer caught it easily with one paw. The sound of clinking coins resonated throughout the room. He turned to leave the dimly-lit area, but stopped when the lord spoke again.

"But you can get 10,000 more yuan if you do one more thing." The tiger clapped his paws. Two grey wolves obediently entered the throne room. They unfurled a massive map of ancient China. Provinces, cities, villages all were pinpointed on the parchment.

"What is it?" The assassin sounded curious. He wanted the 10,000 yuan, but something felt a bit off. _  
_

"You'll have to accept before I can tell you. I don't want my plans revealed before they are even set in motion."

"Fine, I accept. What do you want me to do?" The murderer narrowed his eyes. The tiger opposite to him smiled.

"Let's say I have plans, plans with the Furious Five and the Dragon Warrior," he began.

"Doesn't everyone?" the assassin muttered. The lord ignored him and continued.

"I need you to separate Shifu from them. When you do, leave this somewhere-" he held an amulet with an amethyst with an iron frame."-where they can see it. Leave the rest to me, and you'll get your money. " "You want to leave a false trail?"

"Not necessarily, the amulet will lead them here, but I'm the last thing they would expect." The masked figure studied the necklace in the tiger's paw for a moment.

"What is the map for then?" The wolves looked tired; they struggled to keep the surprisingly heavy scroll upright.

"I want you to take Shifu here." The tiger used a bamboo baton and pointed to a little black square marked 'Chorh-Gom Prison'.

"Chorh-Gom Prison? Isn't that where Tai Lung used to be?" The assassin asked, a bit shocked.

"Yes, why? I know you have been locked up in there once."

"It's just ironic," The lord looked at him for a while then dismissed the two wolves. They rolled the map up again and carried it out of sight.

"And," he paused for effect. "if anyone else hears about this, you're as good as dead."

This threat didn't faze the other figure. "I won't tell anyone, and if I did, you'd never catch me. Only one person has managed that feat." He sneered.

"Oh, really? Is that a challenge?" The lord retorted.

"Just the truth." The assassin shrugged.

"I don't want you to harm Shifu, not that badly anyway. Do what you did with Master Han, turn over some stands and wipe blood all over the walls." The tiger was very specific. "And don't fail me, you've been very reliable these past few requests. But if you don't succeed, Shifu would tell everyone, being the paranoid red panda he is, and my future plans would be ruined. Anyway, just do it."

"The Furious Five and the Dragon Warrior still don't know who I am. It won't be that hard."

The lord seemed unsure of this fact. "Well, that's all. I would like the deed performed sometime this week." The other cat nodded and left.

"Clan of the Setting Sun?" The assassin suddenly asked.

"How do you know?" The tiger lord's eyes widened.

"I just do." The assassin pushed open old, wooden doors and left his employer in shock.


	8. Caught

_** Disclaimer- Kung Fu Panda is not mine, okay? I do not own the giant company of Dreamworks. I don't even own a top hat. I want a top hat. **_

Shifu stretched his thin arms and yawned. The dawn's early sunlight filtered through paper screens. An empty teacup, save for a few remains of jasmine leaf, sat on a simple nightstand next to his bed. He grabbed his staff, formerly Master Oogway's, and put on a fleece coat. The song of birds and and a lone rooster announced that dawn was here.

Something felt a bit off today, but that was probably his resentment toward Tigress' unusual actions. Shifu walked down the hallway, his light footsteps echoing throughout the airy spacing. He was going to investigate Han's death. Just the sheer thought of his friend dead with lifeless eyes that stared at nothingness made salty tears sprout up in his eyes. He wiped them off and headed toward the pantry. The pantry was nice and tidy, unlike how it looked after Monkey and Po visited it. He packed some rice crackers and cold dumplings. Shifu was about to get some herbs that helped with long travels when he noticed that the cupboard was nearly empty. Only a leaf of dry basil, a stem of marigold, and a random dead beetle resided in behind the cupboard door.

Then he realized what was wrong. It was quiet. Too quiet. Tigress and the others should have been training by now, and the sound of breaking planks and clashing of metal should have been heard. He shouldn't have heard the birds singing this morning. _They must of gone out! _he thought urgently. _That's why there's no herbs! Those cheeky little- _he didn't finish the sentence. Shifu dashed down the hall toward the bedrooms where they slept. The red panda tiptoed quietly; the floorboards here were notorious for creaking very loudly.

He opened Crane's door. Nothing. Well, nothing except for a mat and some calligraphy supplies. As he neared Viper, Po and Tigress' dorms he heard voices. He saw that Tigress' room, the largest one, was lit up with flickering candles. He seethed at how they had disobeyed orders, they could of gotten hurt. They could of died, and left him with nothing! Using the peach wood staff, he forced the door opened to a bewildered group of his students.

"Anyway, I think I know who-" Tigress stopped in mid-sentence. She looked surprised. Shifu looked equally as shocked. Tigress had her right arm in a sling and there was tile residue on her shoulder. Monkey was wrapping his charred hand with wet bandages. His golden fur was slightly blackened by what looked like leftover gunpowder. Mantis looked majorly injured. The mantis laid on a small blanket and his eyes were closed. To Shifu, Mantis looked like his whole body was covered in a third-degree burn. Viper had some acupuncture down her limbless body and had a pile of familiar herbs in front of her. Crane's straw hat was partially burned and his wingtips looked slightly blacker and his tail had lost some feathers.

They all stared in an awkward silence at their master. Shifu regained his train of thought and asked angrily, "And where have you been?"

"Out. We decided that loyalty to the valley overrides loyalty to you." Tigress remarked. Even though that's what they all unanimously agreed on, Viper still looked ashamed of herself and Crane shifted his gaze downwards.

"And who told you that?" Master Shifu snapped.

"Master Oogway." Tigress said with a smile. "Not even you would question Master Oogway. Would you?" Shifu gritted his teeth and found that Tigress was right: he really had nothing else to say.

"No, but you're all grounded. You cannot leave the premises for two weeks. Now fix yourselves and don't do it again." He didn't care if this was unfair or not, they had disobeyed him and they would pay the price.

"But, Shifu! What about my dad? I can't just not visit him for two weeks!" Po exclaimed unhappily.

"Yes, you can. You made a choice, now suffer the consequences. I will lock the main doors and the gate. You will only be let outside for training." Shifu left without another word and shut the door.

"Oh, what have we done?! Now Shifu hates us!" Viper wailed after Shifu left.

"No, he doesn't. He's just upset." Monkey comforted her. Viper sniffled and gathered up more herbs.

"Even if we are defending the valley like we're supposed too, we shouldn't get on Shifu's bad side. He's still our teacher." Po suggested.

"Yeah, Po's right. We still haven't finished training, so we have to listen to him." Crane agreed.

"We have to listen to him _most _of the time." Tigress corrected. Crane shrugged. He wiped off some of the particles off his former unblemished wings.

"So, what were you saying Tigress?" Viper asked.

"What?" Tigress looked up. She hadn't heard what Viper said. She had been feeding Mantis some herbs and giving him a little water to drink.

"What were you saying about the assassin?"

"Oh yes, I think I know who he is."

"Really?" Monkey asked incredulously.

"Yes, I remember his description from several scrolls in the archive. There's even some Wanted posters with his image." Tigress recalled.

"Who is he?" Crane's eyes widened with interest.

"Well, I know he's from the Middle East, but he was raised here. I'm sure of that."

"And?" Viper inquired.

"Well, this _is _top secret information." Tigress warned.

"Tell us!" Po demanded. "We need to know!"

Tigress took a deep breath. Her amber eyes surveyed her comrades.

"His name is Shan, and he is one of the most dangerous assassins China has ever seen."


End file.
